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Skizz

Started by Grobbendonk, 30 March, 2014, 12:23:33 PM

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Grobbendonk

Not sure if this is the right place to put this but...

I'm currently re-reading 2000AD from Prog 1 at a rate of between one and six progs a week. I mentioned somewhere else that I fancied starting an old prog review - but I won't (its just too much like hard work and would descend to an "I liked this one and didn't like this one" level very quickly).

However I've just read Prog330 and its a blinder! This was about the time I started reading 2000AD, albeit intermittently. The first Slaine story, which is still one of my favourite introductory episodes, was a great nostalgia trip for me.

But its Skizz I want to mention here. This strip finishes in this prog and it was an emotional moment for me (again). I'd forgotten just how awesome that strip was. For the 2000AD at the time it feels so adult and serious (compared to Robo-Hunter et al) while still retaining humour and violence that we all love the Prog for.

Having just read up to this prog, this feels like the first story of this this type - with a less crazy premise, a more realistic tone, and a present day setting. Am I right? There may have been a few Future Shocks that hit a more nuanced tone I guess, and some Dredd episodes were already bringing in the more overt political commentry, but no other single strip up to this point hits the mark. 

For me, reading it again alongside the current output, it really holds its own. Maybe these days it would have  stronger language and a bleaker ending? But other than that I could see this in a current prog and going down really well as a counterpoint to the uberviolent, sweary craziness.

Does anyone remember how it was received at the time? What do others think now? Any other strips of the time strike you this way?

TordelBack

#1
Skizz was the story that made me a 2000AD fan for life.  I'd read the odd issue, and considered it a faintly scary element of that vast pool of shared comics we all browsed back then*, but when I picked up part 2 of Skizz (being unaware there was a part 1), I was hooked forever.  So yeah, I'd agree, it was something very new, for all that it was in the grand tradition of Tharg's Movie Ripoffs.



*At a guess, between family and friends and family of friends, there was over 20 titles in 'the pool': Beano, Dandy, Star Wars, Eagle, Whizzer & Chips, Warlord, Victor, Battle, Bunty, Hulk [or whatever that week's Marvel repackage was], TV Comic, Tiger, Roy of the Rovers, Jackie, Buster, Whoopee, Mandy, Commando, Starblazer and Look & Learn.  And surely a half dozen more I can't recall.

Spikes

I absolutely adore Skizz.

Kinda felt like a sci-fi flavoured episode of Grange Hill, which is all manner of good.


Grobbendonk

Quote from: TordelBack on 30 March, 2014, 12:48:08 PM
the grand tradition of Tharg's Movie Ripoffs.

Heh, true - and it could have been so bad because of that.. but it transcends its limited conception.

In the 1984 Annual there is an entertaining *interview* with the Alan Moore droid about how Skizz came to be. The admission of stealing the concept from recent movies comes pretty early :)

When I was a wee one my older brother and I were restricted to one comic a week each - his was usually Warlord or Victor and mine was TV Comic and similar. At primary school we had a box of comics in the play room reserved for when it was raining and we couldn't be sent outside at break (which happened often, this being rural Cornwall). I remember reading the odd 2000AD, Starlord, Eagle etc and being impressed with them, but never got them myself till much later when I could buy my own.

JayzusB.Christ

I only read it years later, in my 20s or possibly even 30s.  It was brilliant - You really wouldn't think a mix of E.T. and Boys from the Blackstuff would work, but, well, it was Alan Moore. 
One thing that always bugged me though - [spoiler]isn't Cornelius about to be arrested for murder at the end[/spoiler]?
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"

Steve Green

[spoiler]I suppose the defence would be that he was preventing an interplanetary incident[/spoiler]

Fungus

#6
Aha. In my slog I reach prog 767 next, the start of Skizz II. Hooray  :)
I don't know what to expect, except that it isn't Robohunter, Trash, Fleischer's Rogue Trooper or any of the wet sludge I have been schlepping through.

And I adored Skizz (I) like all other right-thinking people.

JayzusB.Christ

It's not a patch on the first one, I'm afraid. Entertaining enough though
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"

Fungus


Grobbendonk

I always interpreted it that the Police were so sick of Van Owen by that point they'd overlook a slight case of [spoiler]murder[/spoiler]!

clavell

Flippi Neck !

Loved Skizz. One of the things that made me a Moore fan. And it does seem to be the start of the more grown-up phase of the Tooth.

- C
Writing Future Shocks is hard !

Bubba Zebill

Quote from: TordelBack on 30 March, 2014, 12:48:08 PM
Tharg's Movie Ripoffs.

I assumed at the time that Skizz lifted from E.T. But I'm not sure it's that simple.

"Skizz is a great, gritty story that soundly countered Spielberg's sugary film E.T which came out just before the original strip was published but, importantly, after much of the strip was drawn. As artist Baikie notes, they (he and writer Moore) knew that E.T. was in the offing and had hoped to beat him to publication/screening. "You know millionaires, though; Spielberg had more people helping him and he got there first. Ah well, at least our alien was different."
http://www.concatenation.org/frev/skizz1.html

Judge Dredd : The Dark (Gamebook)
http://tinmangames.com.au/blog/?p=3105

Magnetica

Quote from: clavell on 13 April, 2014, 02:40:21 PM
Loved Skizz. One of the things that made me a Moore fan. And it does seem to be the start of the more grown-up phase of the Tooth.

I can't recommend the "Complete Alan Moore Future Shocks" highly enough. They're just sheer genius.
In my opinion.

Colin YNWA

Love Skizz and have to be honest it's probably my favourite 2000ad strip by Mr Moore. Bit of a fan of the sequels too. Particularly the third book. Not as good but still fun.

Spikes

I may have to dig out the relevant back issues and give the sequels a re-read. As much as I love Skizz, I don't think I've read the follow-up tales more than a couple of times.

And that's after quite liking them, if I recall.

Just for asking; How did the follow up's come about, and does anyone know Mr Moore's view of them?